Are you a pilot-in-waiting?

[dave_r]

Good morning, everyone

I know that the words "pilot-in-waiting" are a source of controversy here but let me explain my request before I trigger a fresh debate.

I'm a writer from Calgary and I'd like to interview someone who is currently working as a pilot-in-waiting. The purpose of the interview is to reveal the trials, tribulations and rewards (are there any?) of your day-to-day work.

I follow the airline industry closely and my guess is PIW jobs will start to disappear as the pilot shortage takes continues to worsen. I'd like to capture a snapshot of a PIW's work life while there are still people doing this work. To be clear, the intended outcome is a warts-and-all profile of your work, not an indictment of current or past employers

If you're willing to participate in some brief correspondence in email and perhaps a 30 minute phone interview (on my dime, of course), please feel welcome to send me a private message here on the forum.

Dave

[shimmydampner]

For some perspective, you should compare and contrast with examples from 15-20 years ago when things were REALLY dire. Back in the days of The Lurker. There are no doubt, a lot of great stories out there.

[dave_r]

Hey there ...

It's interesting that you mention that! I interviewed a former pilot who told me about his PIW experiences which included living in the corner of a hanger in Northern Ontario for a few weeks. Was planning to do a compare and contrast as an intro the piece.

The Lurker? Please say more ...

Dave

[FurHat]

Pilot jobs were so scarce post September 11th, low experience pilots couldn't even get "pilot-in-waiting" jobs. If they did get hired at a small airline, the list of pilots in ground jobs ahead of them could be dozens, usually meaning a wait of years at least. Long enough for your instrument rating to expire if your license was new.

Pilots would move to small towns where these airlines operated and take jobs around town (liquor store, Canadian Tire, Substitute teaching), waiting to be hired at the local airline in a ground position. These pilots were known as "lurkers". Some guys in Thompson even made a fictional movie called "The Lurker" but I don't think it was completed.

[dave_r]

That's gold - could be a story in its own right.

Anybody know what happened to the filmmakers?

[iflyforpie]

Word is they are still in YTH waiting for a seat.

[shimmydampner]

I heard they went on to produce the famous "500" animated short.

[MrAviator19]

Summit Air and North Star Air should be on top of your list for interviewing pilots in waiting. Those two places still have some unrealistic PIW times with the way the industry is moving right now. Their employees will be perfect for your project - you'll go in looking to make a short movie but will come out with enough material for a damn documentary!

MrA

[Vsquared]

For someone new to the industry with no pilot in waiting experience, what are Summit and North Star's waiting times ? And what is the average Northern operators waiting time ?

Summit Air and North Star Air should be on top of your list for interviewing pilots in waiting. Those two places still have some unrealistic PIW times with the way the industry is moving right now. Their employees will be perfect for your project - you'll go in looking to make a short movie but will come out with enough material for a damn documentary!

MrA

[C-GGGQ]

For someone new to the industry with no pilot in waiting experience, what are Summit and North Star's waiting times ? And what is the average Northern operators waiting time ?

Summit Air and North Star Air should be on top of your list for interviewing pilots in waiting. Those two places still have some unrealistic PIW times with the way the industry is moving right now. Their employees will be perfect for your project - you'll go in looking to make a short movie but will come out with enough material for a damn documentary!

MrA

Not sure about those operators, but several places it's a matter of weeks or months only now. 3 ish months seems to be what I keep hearing from NWO and Manitoba

[MrAviator19]

For someone new to the industry with no pilot in waiting experience, what are Summit and North Star's waiting times ? And what is the average Northern operators waiting time ?

Summit Air and North Star Air should be on top of your list for interviewing pilots in waiting. Those two places still have some unrealistic PIW times with the way the industry is moving right now. Their employees will be perfect for your project - you'll go in looking to make a short movie but will come out with enough material for a damn documentary!

MrA

Not sure about those operators, but several places it's a matter of weeks or months only now. 3 ish months seems to be what I keep hearing from NWO and Manitoba

Summit quoted me 1-2 years when I interviewed with them in the summer of 2018. NSA will tell you 6 months to a year but 90% of guys on the ramp end up doing a year (sometimes a little over) just because they have too many pilots in waiting and they go by date of hire seniority (though they have fucked some guys in the past by promoting someone to flight line hired after them!)
PS: I'm not a pilot-in-waiting and don't work for either of those two places.

MrA

[Shinyjetsyndrome]

Summit Air and North Star Air should be on top of your list for interviewing pilots in waiting. Those two places still have some unrealistic PIW times with the way the industry is moving right now. Their employees will be perfect for your project - you'll go in looking to make a short movie but will come out with enough material for a damn documentary!

MrA

Add North Cariboo to that list. Some guys have been there over 2 years and still not close to sitting in a plane.

[goingnowherefast]

I always thought the pilot in waiting type job was a pay check while you continue job searching for an actual flying job. Worst case scenario, your turn comes up and you get into an airplane at the company you were ramping for.

[North Shore]

That's gold - could be a story in its own right.

Anybody know what happened to the filmmakers?

One is sitting pretty happy in the left seat at WJ, another became the CP at a southern airline. I believe that 'the lurker' himself is based in YVR now...